2020 Restless River, Ava Marie Chardonnay, Hemel en Aarde, South Africa
Critics reviews
The 2020 Chardonnay Ava Marie is whole bunch pressed, the juice oxidized and settled, followed by a spontaneous barrel ferment with 10 to 12 months sur lie. Lucid green/gold in hue in the glass. This has an attractive bouquet with a very subtle reduction, the 10% new oak discrete in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with a crisp line of acidity, quite taut and linear, hints of orange rind and plenty of salinity on the finish. Excellent.
Drink 2023 - 2032
Neal Martin, Vinous.com (September 2022)
Moving to biodynamic, they put a real emphasis on soil health. Single 2-ha vineyard, planted in 1999 at 260 m on granite and deep underlying clay, facing south-west. Clones 5 and 55. Spontaneous fermentation, all in 500-litre barrels. Owner-winemaker Craig Wessels aims for Old World burgundian style, apparently. Oxidatively made and lots of gas used when moving from barrel to barrel. Then aged in 10% new oak, 10% amphora, 10% tank and 70% old oak.
Very distinctive nose. Great grip on the palate but quite muted – non showy but it should last very well (Dirk Niepoort apparently enjoyed the 2013 recently on a visit!). Very lively – long and throbbing.
Drink 2023 - 2030
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (May 2023)
Popping with aromas of popcorn kernel, fresh lemon zest and just-ripe yellow apples, the 2020 Ave Marie Chardonnay is expressive and seductive in the glass. Medium-bodied, the palate is precise with energetic acidity, offering a succulent profile and balanced structure before ending with a long, spicy, oaky finish and lingering flavors of spiced white tea. Bravo, I want more!
Drink 2023 - 2035
Anthony Mueller, Wine Advocate (December 2023)
Bold nose of ripe pear fruit and white flowers. Rich, with perky acidity and a distinct marzipan note, this is a serious wine. Sherbet lemon, peach tea and a smidge of vanilla complete the picture on the palate. A lovely lime acidity closes this out in style. Restless River likes to hold back its wines in bottle pre-release to round them off, including the whites, so this Chardonnay from 2020 is only seeing the light of day in November 2022.
Drink 2022 - 2028
Chris Wilson, Decanter.com (August 2022)
About this WINE
Restless River Wines
Craig Wessels, owner and winemaker of Restless River, descends from the first settled European to live in and farm the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, and therefore intrinsically connects with the land. This cool climate region is only 5km away from the South Atlantic Ocean, reaching an altitude of more than 300 metres.
He runs the winery together with his wife, Anne, and since their first launch in 2012, Restless River has stunned all with wines that have reached internationally acclaim and are found on prestigious restaurant wine lists around the world.
Harvest for the 2019 Main Road and Dignity Cabernet Sauvignon lasted almost a month approximating from the end of March – early April. Every single grape is awarded care and attention, and in the winery, parcels are vinified separately. It spent 23 months maturing in barrel and is awarded the same time ageing in bottle before release.
Walker Bay
Walker Bay is a coastal wine district, located to the south-east of Capetown, near the town of Hermanus (of whale-watching fame).
Walker Bay has built its reputation on Pinot Noir, and best exemplified by the wines from the Bouchard-Finlayson & Hamilton-Russell estates.
Walker Bay has a cool, maritime climate. However vineyard virus and small scale production have prevented thsi wine region from competing effectively against the Pinot Noirs from New Zealand.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
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Description
The 2020 Chardonnay Ava Marie is whole bunch pressed, the juice oxidized and settled, followed by a spontaneous barrel ferment with 10 to 12 months sur lie. Lucid green/gold in hue in the glass. This has an attractive bouquet with a very subtle reduction, the 10% new oak discrete in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with a crisp line of acidity, quite taut and linear, hints of orange rind and plenty of salinity on the finish. Excellent.
Drink 2023 - 2032
Neal Martin, Vinous.com (September 2022)
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